Although the United Kingdom and the European Union are still in the thick of negotiations for the final divorce terms, the European Commission holds firm in its belief that Brexit would have a negative effect on the region’s aviation industry.

“Brexit is extremely unfortunate and it will have a negative impact on aviation more generally. There is absolutely no doubt about that,” stated Henrik Hololei, the European Commission’s Director-General for Mobility and Transport.

Though the future of aviation in the region remains vague pending the final Brexit agreement, what is assured is that the UK would no longer remain in the European Aviation Safety Agency, Hololei asserted.

This is because Britain has said it won’t accept the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, which is essential to staying in the EASA.

The agency is tasked with making sure that carriers respect safety rules and verifies aerospace products across the 28-nation bloc. This helps bring down expenses of development and production within the aviation industry.

The UK has been nothing but “a very significant contributor” to the EASA both in terms of finances and its leadership on ideas and policies. This is according to a November 2017 report that was issued by the CAPA Centre for Aviation.

Hololei added that the UK would not get full access to the EU single market for aviation.

Hololei said that losing “a member of that caliber,” is a development that “everybody will be feeling very sorry about.”

In spite of that, Hololei said he pictures the European Commission would be having an aviation agreement with the UK that is identical to what the organization has with the United States and Canada. The EU and the US currently have a bilateral agreement that lets European airlines fly from the region to the America without limitations.

“We’re looking more into the kind of relationship that we have with the United States and some of the other third countries,” Hololei remarked.

“We are ready to engage but we also would like to know more what kind of relationship the U.K. itself is looking for.”